FAQs

1. When is the deadline for applications?

The deadline for our BA (Hons) Professional Acting, MFA Professional Acting and MA Classical Acting for the Professional Theatre is 1 March 2018. Please note that some the majority of our non-London auditions will take place before the 1st March therefore early application is advised.

The deadline for our Foundation Diploma, FdA Production & Technical Arts: Stage & Screen, and the MA Directing is 1 May 2018.

There is no application deadline for our Semester Courses or Short Courses. You should apply as soon as possible, however, as places are limited.

Applications cannot be accepted after the advertised deadlines under any circumstances.

Note: interviews for our FdA Production & Technical Arts: Stage & Screen and MA in Directing are only held in London.

3. Can I audition or Interview via Skype/ Online?

Those applying for any of our acting courses must audition in person at one of our audition venues in the UK, US or EU. We do not accept Skype or any other form of ‘online’ audition.

Applicants for our FdA Production & Technical Arts: Stage & Screen must also attend an interview in person at our London address.

Those applying for the MA Directing course who live a considerable distance from the UK may be able to do an initial first interview via Skype. However, if invited to attend a recall interview following an initial Skype interview you would be required to attend the school in person.

Due to the volume of applications LAMDA receives, we are unable to hold Open Days for prospective acting students.

We do hold two Open Days each year for anyone interested in finding out more about our FdA Production & Technical Arts: Stage & Screen.

There is also an Open Day every July for students who have been offered places on courses starting in September. Information about this will be sent to successful applicants with confirmation of their place.

Unfortunately we do not currently run tours of the school or hold open days for our acting courses. Instead, why not check out our Virtual Prospectus, where you can catch an inside look at life at LAMDA, along with information about our courses.

If you still have any questions regarding our courses or application process please email our admissions department at admissions@lamda.ac.uk, who will be happy to help.

6. Is it possible to watch classes?

No. LAMDA classes are closed to the public.

A great way of finding out more about our training is by coming along to one of our public productions, which take place across London and further afield. Find out where and when we are next performing.

7. What qualifications do I need to get into LAMDA?

There are no academic pre-requisites for the majority of our courses. For our MA Classical Acting for the Professional Theatre and MA Directing Courses, applicants who do not have a BA or BFA Degree, or equivalent, must demonstrate a comparable level of skill or experience gained in a professional company or vocational drama school.

8. Does it matter which GCSEs, A Levels or Degree I have/am studying for?

No. Our students all have varied qualifications and experience.

9. What is the age limit?

The minimum entry age for most LAMDA courses is 18 (with the exception of our Introduction to Drama School, Audition Technique and Introduction to Screen Acting courses which have a minimum entry age of 16 and the Shakespeare Short Course which in 2017 changed its minimum entry age to 17). Although there is no upper age limit, students must be capable of undertaking the strenuous aspects of the courses.

10. I have heard that drama schools rarely select students straight from school at 18. Is that the case at LAMDA?

LAMDA regularly selects students aged 18 to train with us on our BA (Hons) Professional Acting, Foundation Diploma and our FdA Production and Technical Arts: Stage and Screen.

11. Can I apply for more than one course?

Yes. You can apply for as many courses as you wish. If you attend an audition, you will be considered for all of our acting courses.

Note: we sometimes offer applicants places on a different course to the one they applied for. For example, you may apply for our BA (Hons) Professional Acting, but be offered a place on our Foundation Diploma.

12. Do I have to pay a separate fee for each course I apply for?

Not necessarily. If you apply for the BA (Hons) Professional Acting, only one audition fee is payable.

However, if you are applying for one course which requires an audition and another which requires a written application only, you will have to pay two different fees. For example if you apply for the BA (Hons) Professional Acting and the Shakespeare Short Course you will have to pay an audition fee and an application fee.

We also believe that musicality is a key element of a comprehensive acting training and singing is part of all of our full-time acting courses.

14. Do I need to be able to sing to get into LAMDA?

No. You should be prepared to sing at a recall audition, however, where our panel will assess your ability to project your voice and your vocal range. If you are auditioning in North America, we will ask you to sing a short song during your first audition.

15. After I’ve done my audition, how long will it take to find out whether I’ve got in?

We aim to let applicants know whether their audition has been successful within two weeks of the audition. However, during certain periods this may take slightly longer.

16. How many students are accepted each year?

LAMDA does not have fixed numbers for entry. Each year, we enrol approximately 30 students on our BA (Hons) Professional Acting; 28 on our MFA Professional Acting; 26 on our MA Classical Acting for the Professional Theatre; 30-45 on each Semester Course in Classical Acting; 26 on our Production and Technical Arts: Stage and Screen and 32 on our Foundation Diploma.

17. Does LAMDA run part-time/evening courses?

At the moment, LAMDA does not offer any part-time or evening courses. If you would like to get a taste of our training, try our Short Courses.

18. Can I defer entry?

No. You should apply for a place in the year before the September you wish to begin your training.

19. Is there any accommodation/housing provided?

LAMDA does not have its own student housing. We include advice on finding accommodation in the information pack we send to full-time students on enrolment.

Housing is available on request for an additional fee for Semester and Short Course students aged 18 and over. Housing is assigned on a first come, first served basis and cannot be guaranteed.

No. The only students who start with us in January are those joining our Spring Semester Course in Classical Acting. All of our other full-time training courses begin in September, with Short Courses running during the summer holidays.

22. Are essays or written work required as part of the training?

There is currently no written work for the BA (Hons) Professional Acting and Foundation Diploma. The FdA Production and Technical Arts: Stage and Screen and our MA courses will require some written work. More information can be found on individual course pages.

23. How do I fund my training?

We urge all applicants to investigate funding options prior to attending a recall audition or interview and certainly before being offered a place at LAMDA. The funding options available vary according to your nationality, household income, the course you choose to pursue at LAMDA and what stage you are at in your education. Find the right funding information to help you.

24. I am an EU applicant. How will the UK leaving the European Union affect my application?

The UK has given formal notification of its intention to withdraw from the European Union, but will remain a member of the European Union until at least 2019. Negotiations are currently taking place, and it may be a while before a clear picture emerges of how students will be affected.

However, in April 2017, Student Finance England confirmed that EU nationals (and their family members) who start studying in 2018/19, and who are assessed as eligible for loans/grants, will be eligible for 'home' fee status for the duration of their study.